Christmas Named Big Ten Runner of the Week
10/13/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Cross Country
Oct. 13, 2009
PARK RIDGE, Ill. -- Senior/junior Peter Christmas (Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer HS) of the University of Michigan men's cross country team was named Big Ten Conference Runner of the Week on Tuesday (Oct. 13) in recognition of his performance at the Michigan Intercollegiate.
Racing among the leaders for the entirety of the 8,000-meter event, Christmas claimed his first collegiate cross country victory, earning top individual honors at the annual meet last Friday (Oct. 9) in Grand Rapids, Mich., with a time of 25:07.8. The performance marked Christmas' third top-five finish in as many appearances this season.
With all five scored runners among the top-15 placers, including four among the event's top eight, Michigan totaled 32 points to capture the team title in the 25-team collegiate division, bettering runner-up Grand Valley State by 23 points. The Wolverines own a pair of team trophies in three scored meets this season.
The weekly distinction is the first for the Wolverines this year and the second for Christmas during his three competitive seasons at Michigan. He previously claimed the honor on Oct. 19, 2007, after pacing the Maize and Blue at the EMU Fall Classic with a fourth-place performance.
The Wolverines will return to competition the annual EMU Fall Classic on Friday, Oct. 23, in Dexter, Mich. The 8,000-meter race is slated for a 4 p.m. start at Hudson Mills Metropark.
Contact: Leah Howard (734) 763-4423
